Comparing Boston condo sales of the 1st Q 2009 with 2008.
Boston condo sales 1/1/09 – 3/31/09
Number of Boston condos sold – 618
Avg. Boston condo sales price – $437,845.00
Median Boston condo sales price – $301,750.00
Avg price per square foot – $404.00
Avg # of days on the market – 125
Boston condo sales 1/1/08 – 3/31/08
Number of Boston [...]

1st Q Boston real estate sales.
Unit dollar volume 1/1/09 – 3/31/09:
$634,386,673.50
Unit dollar volume 1/1/08 – 3/31/08:
$1,061,152,975.28
Source: MLS

Fixed-rate jumbo loans have been harder to get in recent months.
Now, Bank of America says it wants to make more jumbo mortgages, so-called because they exceed the conforming limits — $417,000 in most parts of the country, though they can rise as high as $729,750 in some metro areas. But borrowers better be ready to [...]

Sales of vacation and investment homes in the United States slipped to 30% of all transactions of existing and new homes in 2008, the National Association of Realtors said on Monday.
However, more than four out of 10 investment buyers and more than three in 10 vacation-home buyers paid cash for their properties, with large percentages [...]

South End condo sales:
South End condo sales -3/30/07 – 3/30/08
Number of sales – 750
Avg sales price – $632,367.00
Median sales price – $543,000.00
Avg price per sq ft – $581.00
South End condo sales – 3/30/08 – 3/30/09
Number of sales – 713
Avg. sales price – $612,741.00
Median sales price – $532,100.00
Avg. price per sq ft – $587.00
Source: LINK

We were talking about these banking giants like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo being weighed down by the problem portfolios absorbed with the likes of Washington Mutual, Countywide and Wachovia. According to Stuart Feldstein of New Jersey-based SMR Research, “We’re seeing the number of loan modifications way up from last June.”
According to [...]

The 30-year mortgage averaged 4.85% in the week ended March 26, the lowest point since Freddie Mac’s weekly survey began in 1971. Last week, the mortgage averaged 4.98%; the mortgage averaged 5.85% a year ago.

Yesterday, I went to several open houses in the Back Bay priced from $299,000 to over a $1,000,000.00.
In all price ranges buyers were out and looking.

Between 12pm – 2pm I’ll be showing clients open houses in Back Bay. My clients today vary in price ranges from $300,000 to $1,100,000. I’ll give you an update when I return.

The Financial Times, the London-based international business newspaper, has a story on real estate in East Boston, with one person calling our community “a cool little neighborhood.” Eastie’s diversity, proximity to downtown and moderately priced housing stock are mentioned as selling points.
Source: Hubster